What Is Amazon Fire TV Cube?
The Fire TV Cube is a new streaming device by Amazon which combines the features of the Fire TV Stick with the Amazon Echo speaker. It has a built-in Alexa voice assistant, so you can control it with your voice. While streaming your favorite movie or TV series you can also use it to control other smart home devices.
Specifications Of The Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
The 3rd Gen streaming device is a beast of a streaming device that can do it all. Here are some of the key features that make it a beast:
- 1080p Full HD support.
- 4K 60fps Ultra HD & Dolby Vision.
- Dolby Atmos support.
- Supports Bluetooth 5.0 + L.
- WiFi 6E – 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax wifi networks
- Alexa voice control.
- External device connectivity support.
- Octa-core 4x 2.2GHz 4x 2.0GHz Processor
- 800MHz GPU
- 16GB ROM & 2GB RAM
Here are some of the specs of the device. The best among these is the Alexa control. This is the first time a fire tv has a built-in Alexa. It also has Far-field and near-field voice support. This allows the fire tv to tell whether you are close to the device or near it.
Amazon Fire TV Cube Port Lists
It has many ports that allow you to connect it to your TV, other devices, and the internet. Here is a list of the ports on the Amazon 3rd Gen streaming device:
- Power Port
- Dual HDMI Input & Output Ports
- IR Extender Port
- USB-A Port
- Ethernet Port
The fire cube is entirely made from recycled materials. It is made with 100% recycled aluminum and 30% post-consumer recycled plastic. Amazon included that they don’t include the cable and adapter in its box, which helps with environmental impact. But does it? Because you will end up buying the cable and adapter separately, which are also packaged too.
It also has Super Resolution Upscaling. This feature allows the device to convert regular HD pictures to 4K pictures. This provided better detail and resolution to the picture without using a lot of data. In addition to that, it supports Dolby Atmos. This provides an immersive experience while watching on the fire tv cube.
Gaming On The Fire TV Cube
The fire tv cube has a processor of Octa-core 4x 2.2GHz 4x 2.0GHz and an 800MHz GPU. With this processing power, you can seamlessly play games on the device. You can do so by streaming the games from Luna+ or prime gaming. You should note that you can download or install any games on the fire tv cube. It can only be streamed online. However, you shouldn’t worry about the internet speed. With the WiFi 6E – 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax wifi networks you are guaranteed to have very fast and smooth gaming. Here are some of the popular games that you can play on the fire tv cube:
- Fortnite
- ASSASSIN’S Creed Valhala
- Far Cry 6
- Saint Row
- Batora: Lost Haven
- Devil May Cry
- BEE Simulator
All these games surely run smoothly without any lag, provided that you have a strong internet connection. However, apart from these games listed above, there are lots of other games in its library. There are also some other nonpopular games like Skatebird and Dusk that you can play.
Fire TV Cube Streaming Apps
Here are some of the streaming services that you can use on your Fire Cube TV.
- Netflix
- Disney+
- Prime Video
- YouTube
- Apple TV+
- Hulu
- ESPN
- Peacock
- SHOW
- Sling
- Paramount+
- Freevee
These are just a few of the many streaming services that you can use on the streaming device to stream. There are so many options to choose from to find something to watch.
How To Set It Up
Here is an easy guide to setup your fire tv cube:
- Place the Fire TV Cube near your TV (1-2 feet).
- Connect the HDMI cable to your TV and the Fire TV Cube (HDMI Output Port).
- Connect the Fire TV Cube to an outlet using the power adapter.
- Turn on your TV.
- Put batteries in the remote.
It should pair with the fire tv cube automatically. If it does not pair, press and hold the home button for 10 seconds to pair. Then follow the on-screen setup prompts. After that, you will connect to a WiFi network, and by doing so, the streaming device will begin checking for updates to download the latest software. The streaming device will restart and begin the software update installation.
NOTE: You should not unplug the device during the update. If you do so, it can crash your streaming device.
The Next step is to sign in to the Amazon account on the streaming device. There are two ways in which you can do this. Here are they:
- Sign In Online – Login on your phone or computer at www.amazon.com/code, and enter the activation code on the TV to the website when prompted.
- Sign In with QR – Scan the QR code on the TV on your mobile device to login.
- Sign In with Remote – Press the menu button on the remote to begin login directly on the TV.
The TV should prompt a message saying “Successfully Registered”. Then, you will follow some simple on-screen instructions. If you had a previous fire tv, select the restore fire tv button. Anything after this is just a simple guide to complete the setup.
Price Of The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
It launched at US$140 / £140 / AU$219. It also only launched in one variant and does not have any other model. But it still does not have a single universal price. The price may change on different online marketplaces. Here are the prices at the 2 largest online marketplaces:
- Amazon, it is US$119.99.
- Best Buy, it is US$119.99.
- Ebay, it is US$127.99.
As you can see, there is an $8 difference not much but still reasonable that you might want to lean towards Amazon’s and Best Buy’s prices of the fire tv cube.
Alternative Streaming Devices
Here are some alternatives to the Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation:
- Apple TV 4K (2021)
- Roku Ultra
- Nvidia Shield TV Pro
- Google Chromecast with Google TV
These devices are all great options, and they offer a variety of features and benefits. The best choice for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. It might also depend on what smartphone ecosystem you are actively using. If you use the Pixel lineup, you might want to use the Chromecast with Google. So is the Apple TV and the iPhone. If you have AirPods and an apple TV. You should want to know how to pair your AirPods and apple TV.